Automatic musical instrument.



L. H. MAIER. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1913. 1,108,595. Patented Aug. 25,1914,

5 SHEETS-SHEI2T l4 THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO-LITHO, WASHINGTON. D C

L. H. MAIER. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAYA}, 1913.

1,108,595. Patented Aug. 25, 191

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w; mm: N WK k THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PNOTO-LITHON WASHINGTON. D, C.

L. H. MAIER.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1913.

1,108,595. Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS (0.. PNOTO'LII r10. WA$H"\'(7TU$\ L. H. MAIER.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAY31, 1913.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

,ZE Jazz? THE NORRIS PETERS (30., PHOTOJJTHO WASHINGTON. D4 C L. H. MAIER. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1913.

1,108,595. Patented Aug. 25, 191

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5v THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTOLITNO WASHINGTON. D. C

[UNITED STATES PATENT orrica.

I Lou-rs H -MA1ER,--0FJNE YORK, N Y.

' amal am; Q USICALLiNs'rRUiuENT.

I 1-; sp fi f l ie i'e t-i Patented Aug. 25, 1914:.

. Applicatioiifil edMay'31,191. 1- Serial'No.770 ,839. 1w ,5; +1

To all 'w'hom'itmayi concern. {-Be it' known thati'LiLours" H. Miami a citizen of the United States," and resident (if New -York city,-'"bo'rougho f theBro I'ixfin the county of Bronx and -'Stateof"NewYork,' have invented certain n'ew and I useful 'lm' provements' in- A'utonia-tic --Mus ical Instr'u nients,"bf which; the renewin cation? v M'yinvention'" relat' I, I "s player mechanisms "for" au't'on a'tid instrumentsijand 'hasf. particular "reference to tlfe' installation of such mechanisms beneath My inventitiii" comprises Hotel {details that, will be more fully hereinafter set forth and thenpoihted but'int tlaiins'. fa Reference is to I be hadftothie" a5n i an'y-' ing drawings forming part lie'reiifjwherein, Fi re l i s'an plan 'vi'ew' of a graft .riane "e e rfi f i hi 'fi fi i p merits the pii'mping fp'dal mechanism be ing partly-omitted; Fig. '2";is an {enla ged view of a portion thereof," is a detail section ori-ftlie' linefi, 3,inF.i 4 is a' Seaman on ueaiae 4, rigzeg at y' ing the tracker box iii the'outwardprlop'erativ, position; Fig. '5 is siinilarvi e w "showing the tracker box in the clos'edorinoperative position Fig. 6 is an. enlarged detail plan view, illustrating means "for moving"the tracker box in and out of its're'cess in the key bottom, the tra'ckerjbcing omitted; Fig. 7. is anenlarged'detail view substantially onv the plane oflth e' line .7 ,f7,"in "F ig. .6; F 1g. 8' is an inverted view of part of "Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9,9, in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is asectional view fillustrating the pedal mechanism in connection withthe tracker boxgFig. 10*is a detail hereinafter referred to; Fig. 11 is a sectionaldetail of the power bellows shown in F ig. 10; Fig.,12 is a sectionalview of the storage and expression bellows; Fig. 13 is a plan ofa portion of Fig. 12; Figj'ldlis a plan'view'of the foot pedal mechanism, Fig. 15 isa detail of the Darts 5 etc. 1

nilar nu ncrals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views;

The numeral 1 indicates a piano'c'asing shown in the form of a grand piano, and at 2 is the key bottom thereof, which, at the the keys,is provided with'an opening 2, in which is fitted, to be moved in and out of said opening, a tracker box or frame 3, provided with a tracker bar 4, to the'orifices of which theflexible tubes 5 lead in customary manner; Said tracker box and tracker and thelocation ina front opening of the key board are more or less similar to devices set forth; in my Letters Patent' No. 1,034,811, i s'siiedffiugust 16, 1912, and my present intestes-snares to ir'n'pr'oved means for supp'oiti'n wnd operating'the? tracker box, as he'reiiiafter explained. "The tubes 5 are j shown leadiiigfio{ableedchest 6, secured to Said'chest 5) i's provided with a series offopenings "GtoWhiCh the several tubes 5 le'ad,- and, from the corresponding openin gs tubes 7 'Iead to'the respective valves in the valve chests 8*of thestrikerpneumatics 9 ofithe player action, The bleed chest' 6 has branch openings (communicating, by relatively small orifices, with the vacuum chamber 6, covered by any suitable material 10, which chamber is connected by Etubell (Figs. 1 and 2) with the suction storage bellows 12 of the player mechanism, ,w hi ch vbellowsis secured to the under side :ofthe rear'portion of the piano casing, as by the clips 13, (Figs. 1, 2). The suction storage bellows 12, provided with a. suitable expression box and bellows 14, are connected by tubes15 with the chests 9 of the striker pneumatics 9. The suction storage bellows ,12 is also connected by tube 16, suitably gbranc'h'ed, to toe pumping oellows 17 that "ares'ecured upon the under side of the key bottom and shown on opposite sides of the opening 2 that receives the tracker box. .The expression box and bellows 14 serve to reduce thete nsion that will operate upon the player action, and to cut ofi tension from the player action when the music'sheet is being re-rolled over the tracker bar, in a well known manner, and as hereinafter described in connection with valve 62 and tubes 65, 66.

My improved means for operating the pumping bellows 17 are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 14, whereby the foot pedals 18 may be folded under the key bottom and lowered to operative position, and whereby when the tracker box is moved inwardly or rearwardly in opening 2 the pedals will be folded upwardly, and when the tracker box forward portion, under the forward ends of is moved outwardly to operating position the pedals will be lowered. To thisiend time shown a main frame 19, pivotally connected at- -2O with the outer or lower portion of pedals 18, and movably suspended by 'links' 21, pixotally supported from the key bot tom, as at 23, 24, on opposite sides of open ing 2 thereof. I have shown pivots 23, 24,1 the pedals 18 to be raised, and when the as carried upon bars secured upon"the -un der side of the key bottom.on'opposite:;sidesz of opening 2 of the key bottom. The upperends of foot pedals .1-8 are pivotallyconnect; ed by links 26 with arms 27 (Figs. 1,2 and 10,) secured upon arock shaft ZS-suspended from theundcr side. of the key fraane, being shown journaled inbrackets 29, t9 brackets the stationary board oi bellows .17 is secured ig. 10), wherebyisaid bellows is also suspended from the key bottom; Shaft 28 carries arms 30 shown extending rearwardly beneath the keybott-Qm,aim 1,pillotally connected with are pivotally connected asQat 32,,w th t he movable boardof bellows l l] ,Thea'rfrapgefl ment described is such ithatgwyhe the are lowered to the oper at ive,piisitionan;Fig

10, the links 21 andj22 ,will assume, tially the same pos ition show n; e lows collapsed, andwhenga r e}; pressed they willdepress27 by inea s of links thereby causing'armsgdto links 31 upWardlyand raisewthe moyabl e, b r t el ow s iiftab e p fl dicated at 33 (Fig. 10) may provide-5 for causing the movable board of thebello ws to collapse, and thereby int urn; to return the foot pedals to-their normal np'wardposi-a ticns. Then thefoot pedals a're raisegl to. fold beneath the'key bottom and trackergbozi, links 21 and 22 will swing rearwardlyand upwardly, substantially as shown dottedlines in Fig. 10, causing the fi'ame l9 .and links 21, 22 to fold rearwardlyyall siiugly folded together under the key bottom." :Any suitable means may be provided for retainin; the pedals and frame .19 folded up; \vai-dlyiuider the key bottom and tracker; box. This mav be done by means of asnit able spring 34; secured to the tracker box and dapted to engage the forward portion of frame 19, illustrated in Fig. 10?, which spring mav be readily released by hand from frame 19 and the latter allowed to descend by hand and be similarly raised into engagement with said spring. Any-suitable spring 19* may be connected with the frame 19 and key bottom to aid in counter-balancing the frame, if desired, as for easing the operation of raising and lowering the frame I have illustrated means for causingthe frame 19; and pedals to be lowered when the tracker box 3 is drawn outwardly to the operative position, and for raisingirame 19 and the pedals when the tracker box is moved inwardlv to the inoperative position. To this end I have shown arms 35 pivotally connected at their-rear ends with links 21 and pivotally connected at their forward ends" with the tracker box, as at 36, whereby when the trackerbox is moved inwardly through opening 2? olfthe key bottom, the arms 35 will push'the links 21 causing frame 19 and tracker box is moved outwardlv the bars 35, by ,pulling upon links 21, will cause the irarne 19 and pedals 18 to be lowered. The arms 35, by means of the connection with the tracker box ,andwith links 21, causeframe 1Q 18 to be retained in the -upwardly folded position when the tracker boxis in theinward position, at time the spring 3, tmay be used in con- Ja e te ir th th weak o a gim 19 i i f dave .shq n e n -,f w enz ientlyoperatiiig the tracker box to cause it.:to b m v aieaaal ra dixm a ywvi ae etta peaiasaa tth k y. e w by also a r ms. flapeTactuated and the opera;

naeaadeaay s hi 1w W haharaa25-ira dasla s e rails or. flanges 25a fiewl l-g e n grooves 1 4-1 ijn tlre si dejsif bars 3 .secured along the marginspf thetigacker box, whereby the latten is mounted toslide upon bars 25;: ,Bars 25 are shown provided with racksQSP' in mesh carried by, a shaft 37 jqurna ed. s1:1itable hearings in bar}? on the; tracker The, tracker box alsofca'r r'ies v means for rotating said. shaft and gears, shown: nioreiclearly; 6, .for whiclrpur: po se. than, illustrated "a bevel gear 38 on shaft 37 in ieshwitha corresponding gear 39 on shaftAO 'jo l lrnaled; in suitable bearings l ontrackerlboit 3,, andshowngprovided with a lliandlc 4,1511: theforward part of the tracker ibox for-rotating shaft 40. From this it will .be, understood that when shaftO is rotated, gears 36 being correspondingly rotated will, iby engage ment with the racks 25", cause the gtracker box to bermored inwardly or outmin-(11y; with respect to opening 2 of the key ib,ot t( )m, and whereby the operation of arms E35 and theimovementi of the pedals 18 and frame19 is'made relatively easy. :QIn order tolook the tracker box in the inward and outward positions I have shown a shaft- 42 journaled in bars 3 on the tracker box, and provided with arms &3 having laterally disposed pins 44, (Fig. 6) which pins are guidcdin slotsg lfi in bar-s 3 (Fig.- l-), and said pins are, adapted to engage spaced slots 46in flange 25 (Fig. 6), whereby when thepins are in the upward position in said slots the tracker box will be locked in the inward or the forward position; To operate pins 45. I have shown shaft 42 provided. with a handle or arm 47 extending downwardly through the open bottom of the tracker box, in position to be -.onvoniently=- operated beneath the latter, whereby shaft 42 may be rocked.

, ,At150 is. a pneumatic motor, shown beneaththe sounding board 1,, behind :the key bottom, for operating theft-music spools a that are to be applied in the tracker; box in any. suitable manner. The: crank .;-shaft 1-51 t -said ,motor is shown .provide'd with a sprocket p52r over Qwhich )PHSSGSE' a .i ch'ain-r. 53 receiving sprocket- 5 1 2on2. a telescopic. :shaft 55, 55, a suitable coupling} ati fiiselivingito cause the .parts of 'said/s'haft-towrotate min unison while/permitting their. relative. longitudinal .movement as the trackerjboxnis moved in and out. Shaft -5-5 ;isprovided with, a bevel gear 57 in m,esh with 'a corresponding gear 58 secured-on shaft 59 journaled suitable-bearingshpon the tracker box. Shaft 59 carries, a..sprocket=-60 to be connected by, 51, for operation of. the transmission ,mechanism of the music-spool containedin the. tracker -box, of any, suitable or well known construction ;q(l10b shown). By means of the telescopici shaft, 55*,,.the gears 57,58 may remainrin meshyin either the inner or outward position 'oithetracker box, so that;the shaft 55 isalwaysready for operating the transmission -;;mechanism of the music spools. .;-.-As shown in Fig; l,--I provideraggovernor (il and its tempovalve ,62";'o-fi fany;well knewn construction, shown connected; by tube 63 the motor, and; said g'overnomis shown jconneete'dby tube 64 to the source o'f supply; in storage chamber 12. The 5 tubes 65,-,66 'connectthevalves of chamber 14 with the valves ofthe governor at 62, thelatter being provided for'controlling the rerolling of the music sheet and controllingexpress sion of a composition being rendered. ,.The governor is secured by any suitable;=means upon the under side of the casing below the sounding board. Thertubes 67, 68 connect the valve mechanism in 62 ;With any well known controlling device in the tracker box for re-rolling and expression (not shown). The governor tempo slide 62 is connected by a wire 69, having one end connected with a crank 70 on a rod 71, in a suitable bearing 72 upon the under side of the casing, and at 73 is a rod projecting through and rota tively carried by the tracker box, as in. a bearing 74"thereon (Fig; 4). Said rod 73 is provided with a suitable finger lever 73" whereby the rod may be rocked, which finger lever is shown passing upwardly through the tracker box in front of'themusic spools in. convenient position for operation l). Rods 71 and 73 are slidably connected together, for which purpose I have shown a coupling 71 connecting said rods, whereby rod 71 may be rotated by rod 7 3, in manner described with respect to the coupling 56, to operate rod 69 as required, in different positions of the tracker box.

' At 75 is a hammer rest rail expression device secured upon the under surface of casthe key Y ,bottom ing. 1, and shown comprising. three pneumatics provided with connections 7 6 for operating the hammer rest rails, which devices may besubstantiallysimilar to that shown in myvLetters-Patent' No. 1,009,330, issued NOV-{3,21, 1911;;:'-At 77 is a damper raising pneumaticiconnected by rod 78-.with the rail of the;piano-dampers, the latter constructed in ;any well-.-known manner, the parts 75 and 77 being shown connected to the casing l. 5 ,5111 Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have .shown the key operating mechanism actuated by the striker pneumatics ifi wherein the levers 80 are pivotallysupported beneath the key bottom uponthaaaiLBL-and are operated at their inner ends. .by-;push rods 82 .pivotally con nected withqthe striker pneumatics and with the leveris fim YThe forward ends of levers 8Q are shown ;operating. against pins. or rods 83 guided in suitable guideways in the key bottom, }adapted :to. push, upwardly against the rrear ends ,of piano keys. 84. Suitable stopsat 85,18,(-,Fig.;3) are shown to provide the;;propen regulation between the .rods 83 and keys 8 4, and%to limit the movement of levers, ,8,0,,,=which/stops .may be arranged in any suitable' manner, or as shown in my Letters latent No. 992,018, May 9, 1911.

flavinginow deseribed my invention what m ;=.-...n..-; v

An; automatic musical instrument hav- 1 ing a' casing a key bottom, and a tracker in the;plan'e of thekey bottom, and provided with pumpingubellows supported beneath on opposite sides of the tracker.";,v,, n

v Anautomatic musical instrument havingag'casing and akey bottom, a tracker supported within an opening in the key bottom, and pumping bellows carried by and below the key bottom on opposite sides of theitracker. '1

3. An automatic-musical instrument having a casing provided with a key bottom having an opening at its front portion. a

tracker,'and meansto support the tracker in vsaidjopening, combined with pumping bellows'carried; by the casing on opposite sides ofisaidopening and tracker and substantially in the plane of the traoker.

4. An 'automatic musical instrument having a casing provided with a key bottom having an openingat its front portion, a tracker, and means to support the tracker in said opening, combined with pumping bellows carried beneath the key bottom on opposite sides of said opening and tracker and substantially in the plane of the tracker.

5. An automatic musical instrument having a key bottom, and a tracker box supported thereby combined with a pumping bellows beneath and carried by said key bottom on opposite sides of the tracker box, and substantially in the plane of the tracker. V

(3. An automatic musical instrument having a key bottom, andia tracker-boyl-supp'orted thereby combined with'pumping bellows be neath and carried by said key b0lit/01115101 1 0ppo'site sides of the tracker-box, and substantially in the plane of the trackerysaid bellows having themovabledioard upperrnost. I L'The combination of a 'musica l in'stl ur ment having a key bottom,: a-pump ar ried thereby, links carried: by said {key bottom'v to fold 'underythe key gibottbm, a" pedal movably connected- With said links,'-means movably connecting the pedal with the 'movable member-"of the pamper; tracker lbox. mounted: 'for' movement relaitivelyto the instrument,: and means c onnect ing said tracker box with one of 'sa' id links for causing raising 'andi jl'o weriiig df f th links and pedal to raise mider 'thdkey bot' tom upon in and-= out niovement of the tracker box;

8.v The combination of a niu'si'cal ment'having a key bottom gfa thereby,-links carried=by sai "key botltoin to folduunder the key bottom, a pedargm ovably connected :with' 1 said links, -ineai 1 s mo'vably connecting the pedalwitn the moi alble member of the pump, a tr'acker boxdn'oun'ted for movement relatively tof'the'instrm nent and a linkfpivotally"connecting"tlietracker box with one of the first named links-to raise the link and'p'edu'l unaemhe bott n' ijfiifi' X -2 9-. The combination of 'a mu jsical' iiist rti ment, a pump carried thereby, linl ts ca irie'd by said instrumenhoa pedal movably coYi nected with said links, an arm movab'ly-c'aii' ried by saidinsti'ument and movablycon: nected with the movable meinber' of said pump, a link connecting said aryn wi'th 'said pedal, a tracker box movablysf suppo tedby the instrument, and a link connecting the tracker box with one of thefirstnh me'dflinlts for raising the pedal beneath the-key'bottom and for lowering it npon' in-and'ont move mouts of the tracker box. I lili 1 l0. lhe combination of- -a m usical instruf meut having a key bottom',*:'a,-tracker"box,' means movably supporting the trackenbox upon the key bottom,'and meehanismfcar ried by the key bottom and tracker-bon for' moving the latter in andout former. i V 1 l1 The combination of a musical instrument having a key bottom, a tracker box;

relatively to the means movablv supporting the tracker box upon the key bottom, a rack carried by the instrument, a gear carried'by the tracker box in mesh with said rack, and means upon the tracker box for operating said gear.

12. The combination of a musical instrument having a key bottom, a tracker box, means movably supporting the tracker box upon the key bottom, a rackcar'ried by the instrument, a gear carried by the tracker box in mesh with said rack, means upon the tracker-fibox tfor' operating said gear, and means to l oek the tracker box in an outward position relativelyto the instrument."'-- I 13.-'- T he"combina/tion of a musical instrui'nent provided with a key bottom having. an opening in its' forw'ardportionij a tracker box adapted i-for moiiement within said open ihgjaaneans niovab1y'supporting. the tracker box; at sa'id o'pening; racks earriedby the key hottoni 'om opposite "side's at 's id' opening, gearsl carridby tli'e 'tracker'box-and in mesh with said-racks, and means upon'the tracker bok for rotating said" gears. p j #14, The ombination of a musical instrument provided with afkey bottom h'avingfan ggienin g iii gits'uforjward portion,"- 'a tracker madapt'ed' fiw movement'w it-hih' said openiaigfimeans m'o'vablyi supporting" 'the' tracker boxz'ao said opening,racks carried bytlie key betwtom oiaopposiw sidesof said opening; at zshafta car-ri ed l by said tracker box; gears oalrrid by said shat-t and in mesh withsaid racks; a1 second shaft carried by said tracker boii anflfip'rohided *with an operating handle, and 'gaa'ring c'onnecting said shafts. l lolz'm-"ikrmusical instrument having a key bottom provided with an opening fat its 'fionwardlportion, a tracker-box adapted'to f filbwithin said opening, means movably supf porting vtheotracker box at said openingg a shattncaarried by saidtracker box, arms ca/r ried by said) shaft and" provided with pins, saitl' tracker bdx having slots receiving Said ,pins said-key bottom being -p rovided*with iopenmgsiadapted to' receive' said pins, and meahssupon said v-shaft 'for rocking the latter to actuate-Said pins. v w ll A- 'musicalaqimistrument provided with 5 a motor and having adie'y bottom, a tracker box .movably-supported in "an opening in Q saidkey'bottonn and provided \vithmeans ffbr supporting inusie spools, means upon @thedracker forrotating said spools, and :a: telescopicdriving shaft connecting the T llast -named in'eausu'ith said motor.

2 117. .A musical instrument provided with la-gover ndr and tempo valve, a tracker box, lmeans fenimovably supporting the tracker box-upon the instrument, a telescopic rod connected. with the tracker box, to rock thereonand et teudin g in the direction of movement otthe tracker box, and means iconnectiu'g said rod with said tempo valve for operating theilatter when the tracker 1m is iii-its outward position 5 7-18.; A musical instrument provided with a motor, a tracker box movably supported uponis'aid instrument and provided with uneans for supporting nnisicspools means upon the tracker box for rotating said spools, and sat/telescopic driving shaft connectingthe last named 'means with said motor, a governor and tempo slide carried by said: instrument, a-telescopic rod connected with said tiackenbomand means connecting said latter when the tracker box is in an outward position.

19. A musical instrument provided-'with a key bottom=and sounding board, a tracker box supported'wvithin an opening in the-key bottom, pumps beneath the key bottorn fon opposite sides of the tracker box, a pneumatic player action behind the key bottom, and means operated by said action for operating the keys of the instrument.

20. A musical instrument provided with a key bottom having an opening, and having a sounding board, a tracker box supported in the opening of the key bottom, pumps beneath the key bottom on opposite sides of the tracker box and said opening,

, a pneumatic player action behind the key bottom, means operated by said action for operating the keys of the instrument, a motor carried by the instrument beneath the sounding board, a governor and tempo valve carried by the instrument beneath the sounding board, a combined storage and expression bellows carried beneath the sounding board, tubes connecting said bellows with said action and with said governor,

and means connecting said vbellows with said pumps.

21. A musical instrument provided with a key bottom having an openingand having a sounding board, a tracker box supported in the opening, of the key bottom, pumps beneaththe y 50mm sides lows with said pumps, and expression controlling devices carried by the instrument beneath the sounding board.

22. The -,combination of a grand piano having a key bottom provided with an opening at its Rforward part, a tracker box mounted for", movement. in said opening, pumps beneath the keyi bottom, a pneumatic action beiieath the sounding board and behind the key bottom, and levers beneath the key bottom connecting said action with the piano keys.

23. The combination of a grand piano having a key bottom provided with an opening at its forward part, a tracker box mounted for movement in said opening, pumps beneath the key bottom, a pneumatic action beneath the sounding board and behind the key bottom, levers beneath the key bottom connecting said action with the piano keys,'a motor supported beneath the sounding board, a governor and its tempo valve beneath the sounding board, a storage bellows beneath the sounding board, and tubes connectingsaid bellows with said pumps and with the-governor.

24. A musical instrument having a key bottom provided with an opening in its forward portion, a tracker box mounted for movement within said opening, a-bleed rail carried by the key bottom and provided with a plurality of bleed openings, flexible tubes connecting the-tracker orifices with corresponding openings of the bleed rail, flexible tubes connected with said openings of the bleed rail, and a pneumatic player action, the last named tubes being connected with the valves of said action.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 27th day of May, A. D. 1913.

LOUIS H. MAIER.

Witnesses:

T. F. BOURNE. Mann: F. WAINWRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

